Change Some May Not Want You To Believe In

By James Baker

Here is some interesting, and unexpected, polling data. According to the Discovery Institute’s website :

A new Zogby poll on the eve of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday shows a dramatic rise in the number of Americans who agree that when biology teachers teach the scientific evidence for Darwin’s theory of evolution, they also should teach the scientific evidence against it. Surprisingly, the poll also shows overwhelming support among self-identified Democrats and liberals for academic freedom to discuss the “strengths and weaknesses” of evolution.

Over 78% of likely voters agree with teaching both the evidence for and against Darwin’s theory, according to the new national poll.

“This represents a dramatic 9-point jump from 2006, when only 69% of respondents in a similar poll favored teaching both sides,” said Discovery Institute’s Dr. John West. “At the same time, the number of likely voters who support teaching only the evidence that favors evolution dropped 7 points from 21% in 2006 to 14.4% in 2009.

The poll results also shatter some preconceptions about who supports letting students hear a balanced presentation on Darwinian evolution, with Democrats supporting teaching Darwinism’s “strengths and weaknesses” even more overwhelmingly than Republicans, at 82% and 73%, respectively.

The link takes the reader to an executive summary of the poll that reveals:

Notably, according to the new poll, young adults are far less likely than any other age group to favor a one-sided approach to teaching evolution. When asked if they agreed with the statement that biology teachers should teach "only Darwin's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it" -- the position typically advocated by pro-Darwin activists and academic partisans -- 0% agreed among those in the 18-24 year-old age bracket!

This poll suggests that a broad-based change might be afoot in American culture -- a change countering decades-long censorship in the classroom. On the question of teaching only the Darwinian theory of evolution (and excluding any theories that challenge it), this Zogby poll indicates that many Americans are having doubts … and choosing to support open debate of this issue.